Interwar Years

Winnipeg General Strike

After the "One Big Union" is formed to fight for the rights of Canadian workers through strikes, nearely the entire Winnipeg working population goes on strike as they all simply walk off their jobs due to inflation, unreasonable working conditions and inadequate wages. After violent riots to have their needs met, they returned to work on June 26 after City Council was encouraged by the federal government to accept the civil employee's proposal, having the worker's needs met.

Sep 2nd, 1919

League of Indians of Canada

The League of Indians of Canada holds its first Congress in Manitoba after they generated enough support to become an Aboriginal political organization as a historic call of unity. They hoped for a united nation and Aboriginal people to be freely offered the rights they were previously denied such as religious freedom. They wished to end the suppressive nature the government had inflicted on them. Their plans failed however when they became the primary reason for the Indian Act of 1927.

May 22nd, 1920

Group of Seven

For more on the Gorup of Seven click hereThe Group of Seven shows there first exhibition at the Art Gallery of Toronto. The group of famous painters changed modern art as up until this time Canadian landscapes were considered unworthy of being painted and impossible. The group would disband in 1931 after several members had left and some had joined, but their artwork continues to impact the art world many years later. They opened to mixed reviews but as time went on people started to appreciate their artwork and Canadian landscape.

Dec 29th, 1921

William Lyon Mackenzie King

For more on Canada's tenth Prime Minister click hereWilliam Mackenzie King is elected as Prime Minister of Canada as leader of the Liberal party. He would serve to be the longest serving Prime Minister, serving a total of 21 years and would govern Canada up until June 28th 1926 before taking power again September 25th of that year. He lost the next election to Robert Bennett on August 7th 1930 before coming to power again in 1935 to 1948. He is also recognized as one of Canada's greatest Prime Ministers who brought Canada out of the depression.

Jan 11th, 1922

Insulin

Leonard Thompson, a dying diabetic at Toronto General Hospital is given the first injection of insulin designed for humans as a treatment for diabetes. Until Frederick Banting, Charles Best, J.R.R. Macleod and James Collip discovered insulin and it's ability to treat diabetes, the disease was considered a death sentence as death was an inevitable slow and painful process.They would go on to perfect the dosage and win the Noble Prize for medicine.

Jun 22nd, 1922

Foster Hewitt and Hockey Night in Canada

CFCA radio station (owned by the Toronto Star) officially signs on the air with Foster Hewitt signed on as a staff announcer. Foster Hewitt, most famously known for his radio show for Hockey Night in Canada revolutionized play by play sport announcing coining the phrase "he shoots, he scores!". His show had a huge widespread audience and fan support, so much so that soon after it was broadcast on television and by 1931 he was given sole broadcasting rights to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Jul 1st, 1923

Chinese Exclusion Act

The Chinese Exclusion Act goes into effect after the act is passed by the parliament of Canada as a result of very racist and white supremacy views. This meant no Chinese person would be able to immigrate to Canada unless they were a merchant, diplomat, student or under special circumstances. Many countries at this time had restrictions to immigration but the Chinese were the first people to be formally excluded from immigration to Canada. It was an act the government later apologized for.

Oct 18th, 1929

Persons Case

A group of women from Alberta called the Famous Five won their battle as women were now considered 'persons'. After the group famously challenged the meaning of 'persons' in the Canadian Constitution in their fight for women to have equal rights, they discovered women were not 'persons'. They then convinced the Canadian government to appeal to the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council. They won their case and women were considered persons.

Oct 29th, 1929

Black Tuesday

On Black Tuesday the global stock market crashed as a result of the roaring twenties and its lifestyle wealth and excess. Stock prices plummeted and the New York Stock Exchange's share prices collapsed. It was the beginning of the Great Depression that would haunt the worldwide economy throughout the 1930s and would continue until the start of World War II in 1939.
For more information about Black Tuesday click here

Apr 3rd, 1930

Five Cent Speech

During a debate about unemployment in Canada, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King had an out of character outburst saying that he would not give a 'five cent piece' to the unemployed in a Conservative government province, as he was a Liberal leader. King claims that the Conservatives were exaggerating the economic situation and were playing partisan politics. This unlikely outburst is slightly credited to the Conservatives coming into power during the next election.

Aug 7th, 1930

Prime Minister R.B. Bennett

For more on Richard Bennett click hereCanada's 11th Prime Minister is elected with some credit to the backlash caused William Lyon Mackenzie King's famous five cent speech. He only served one term and lost the election on October 23, 1935. He had a reputation of wealth, which many Canadians at the time disliked as he was elected in the midst of the Great Depression. He had limited success as prime minister with failed attempts to expanded trading with the British Empire as his policies provided little to no relief to Canadians.

Dec 11th, 1931

Satute of Westminister

The law by the Parliament of the United Kingdom goes into effect. This gives Canada, along with several other dominions of the United Kingdom, more power at the hands of their own government. Up until this time, the British parliament had ultimately the final authority over Canada but this allowed Canada to be more independently governed. The bill was passed by British parliament at the request of the dominions. This is regarded as the time when Canada became a constitutional monarchy.

Jun 3rd, 1935

On-to-Ottawa Trek

Hundreds of unemployed men travel east on boxcars in protest of the awful conditions of the federal relief camps as they are forced to live in as a result of the depression. They demanded better working conditions and higher pay amongst other basic rights. They made it to Regina where the protesters stayed as the leader went to Ottawa to discuss matters with the Prime Minister. This did not end well as only after the Regina riot broke out were needs were met.

Nov 2nd, 1936

CBC- Canadian Brodacsting Company

For the CBC website click hereThe Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (CRBC) / Canadian Broadcasting Company becomes a Crown cooporation. CBC was responsible for nearely all the broadcasting innovations in Canada and began television broadcasts on September 6, 1952. CBC was created initially as a reaction to the growing influence American radio had on Canada. Most to nearly all of the programs of CBC and CRBC are Canadian made and funded.

May 13th, 1939

SS St Louis

SS St Louis sets sail from Germany to Cuba carrying 937Jewish refugees taking up what they thought was their last chance to escape Nazi Germany. They carried valid visas but the Cuban government named them to be invalid and no passengers were to enter. They then sought entry into the U.S. but after several failed attempts they went back to Germany where they were separated all over Europe. Many passengers did not survive the Holocaust as they arrived right before the German invasion.